Road Kill
by zzetta13
Summary: Digging deeper into Serenity. The Crew find themselves in a familiar yet different predicament. Hi-jinx ensure, story precedes "War Stories" in the FF universe. Discovering Jayne as you've never seen him before. Final chapter, arc 10 is up and running...Z
1. Chapter 1

"Road Kill"

"Things Aren't Always As They Seem"

Author's note: Digging deeper into Serenity.

******************** Things Aren't Always As They Seem ***********************

Malcolm Reynolds awoke from his slumber feeling relaxed and rested. As he lay there, he brought his hands up to rub his face and he thought about how good he felt.

"Best two hours of sleep I've had in a long while," he spoke to the "air vent" in his chamber; not that the air vent was listening or had an opinion of what he had spoken. The Captain then turned and looked directly at the readout on the digital timekeeping clock mounted on the wall just opposite his bunk.

"2:40am"

"Holy rutting Hell," he exclaimed!

The Captain arose quickly from his cot.

"I asked Wash to wake me in two hours…..now the man has gone and allowed me to sleep for seven. No wonder I feel refreshed, I've slept five hours longer than I intended."

The Captain of Serenity was a little perturbed with his pilot, like that had never happened before, he knew there had to be a reasonable explanation for why Wash had gone and let him sleep so long, a reason why his pilot had allowed him to rest longer than the allotted time he'd allowed himself?

Mal had wanted to be awake just before they reached Persephone, and it seemed that now Serenity's pilot had allowed him to sleep well past their posting at the port of Eavesdown Docks, their next port of call. It disturbed him to think that his ship may have been lying dormant on a planet where Alliance control was more prevalent (and of the order to question a ship as to its reasons for being there longer than intended), on a world that Mal would consider more often as friendly, other than foe. Still, he was uncomfortable with his boat being at rest at Eavesdown longer than the authority's perceived as permissible.

Malcolm Reynolds had never felt comfortable allowing his vessel to remain, on any border world, longer that he thought that the Port Authority assumed presentable. His idea was that they may begin to question his intent (notably, where Alliance rule was irrevocably more prevenient and notably, more inquisitive), if he stayed longer than he had proposed.

Mal had never felt secure on Persephone, although some members of his crew may have felt differently. He had always felt this world was actually under more sublime scrutiny by the "powers that be", than what they were showing. A gut feeling that told him to be leery. Call it intuition if you will. After surviving the "War of Independence" and the "Battle of Serenity Valley" Mal was more cautious than your average pirate. He trusted no one readily, his instinct dominating his actual trust over the "wellbeing of humankind", a fact proven to be correct on more than one occasion.

Malcolm Reynolds may be an individual considered by his crew, and others at some point, to be a person bordering on the mindset of paranoia, more seemingly at crazy, but his crew had learned to trust their Captain's instincts. Better to think Mal a loon for fifteen minutes rather than mistrust his judgment and be dead. His instincts overruled their ideas of what was on his mind, and the Captain's intuition was a matter of acceptance above theirs, rather than a point of scrutiny. Malcolm Reynolds had earned the trust of his crew, an intuition that played out over their idea of him being "nuts". They could tease him about his "intuition" later, if proven wrong, rather than being buried six-foot under. Better to go along with the Captain's ESP, then deny his will and find a bullet through their heart.

Mal's behavior was believed by some, aboard Serenity, to be a derived of a gift from God (no matter what he thought). Circumstances over what he may have been convinced (as survivor of Serenity Valley) as an act of sheer luck. Many of his crew aboard Serenity were subconsciously (other than Malcolm himself), beyond the idea that Mal was just lucky. Many were of the belief that he was the conveyor of greater things. Be it unknown to himself, as Captain, he was destine to be a bigger fish in a bigger sea, a port to harbor as to the likes of a profit (see River Tam) if one can make that assumption?

Had Mal been saved by a force outside human consciousness? Call his savior God or otherwise, he was still here, still breathing air. Call it God or a Supreme Divinity….. whomever was in control of his destiny, Malcolm Reynolds was a man with a conscious. And his conscious was telling him now that he needed to head up to the bridge and find out why Wash had not awaken him when he was supposed to, and why his ship seemed to be at a "stand-still", a state where his pilot knew to notify him, and express a reason why they were stopped. Things were defiantly not of the ordinary, and Mal meant to find out the reason why.

"Wash, you asshole. You're supposed to keep me posted on what's going on…."Mal spoke as he climbed the lader of his bunk, "guess I'll find the answer to that when I reach the bridge," he said. Hands extending to each rung.

END PART 1


	2. Chapter 2

"Road Kill"

"The Road Kill"

Author's note: Jeremy & Jessica are adolescent siblings left on a derelict spacecraft. They are a brother and sister left on a vessel abandoned in the black. They have posted a signal to anyone flying in the region near them, an SOS, a cry for help, and it just so happens that Serenity is in the area. Malcolm Reynolds's vessel is in a position to provide assistance, will Serenity stop and render aid (Mal has always been a family oriented kind of guy), or will Mal's ship just ease past and temper their gaze in another direction? Thanks for reading, Z

******************** The "Road Kill" ***********************

Malcolm Reynolds shimmied up the stairs to the cock-pit of Serenity, on the bridge he found his second in command, Zoe, and her husband, the pilot, Wash.

"What in the rutting hell is going on here," the Captain asked, more than a little irritated?

"Well sir, "Wash began as cordial, "We've hit a little bit of a snag in our progression back to Badger's place," he paused to let Mal catch up to what he was saying. "….a little detour to our destination, I got a news wave from the PBS….."

"The PBS," Mal questioned, he was a bit confused?

"Yeah, the Pirate Broadcasting System," Zoe punched her husband in the arm, Wash continued…. "Seems that there was a tiny roadblock set up on our original course towards Persephone, the Authorities are launching a little ship boarding party. There was a warning boosted over private channels to avoid the area, unless one wanted to be boarded and searched. With our particular brand of contraband, Sir, I figured that it wouldn't upset you too much if I selected an alternate route. I was going to awake you a few hours ago, just as planned, but you were sleeping so well, and this little lag time and detour should at most have only taken a couple hours, maybe three," Wash paused again, "that is until now. Moments ago we received a SOS, seems there's a ship about the size of Serenity stranded in our path and in need of help. I sent a return beacon but so far we haven't received an answer back. What's our course commander?"

Wash wasn't being particularly curt with the Captain, he just knew that being force to stray from their original plan like this always made the Captain grumpy, and after a hard night of flying and navigating, Serenity's pilot was not in the mood to be griped at. Still, he and Zoe studied the Captain's face to see if Mal's expression would give away his answer.

Malcolm Reynolds was a bit befuddled by all of this. This turn of events sounded somewhat similar to what had befallen them back some time ago. The time they had come across that derelict spacecraft which had been beseeched by reavers. Mal thought about his course of action. Looking into the eyes of his crew he could see that they were maybe having the same idea.

Serenity could make a quick turn, and just ease past this problem, then be on her merry, no questions asked. However, Mal was not that kind of guy. The man did have a sense of honor, trust and nobility, rare traits for a buccaneer indeed.

Every ship had its Captain and every pirate had his (or her) code. If someone was stranded in the black, a passerby didn't just leave them there, they offered assistance. And if there was no assistance to be had, meaning the ship had lost her crew, in one regard or another, then the boat was free pickings for the rescue team. Being that times hadn't been as bountiful over the past few weeks, and good paying work was scarce, Mal's decision was hardly a surprise…

"Well, we go and get them, we check things out," he decided.

Both Wash and Zoe were a little disturbed. Had the Captain forgotten what had happened to them the last time? And reavers, as insane as they might seem, had rigged that vessel with a booby-trap. The husband and wife team voiced their concerns in unison, but Mal had already made up his mind. One good detail in all of this was that Wash had purposely brought Serenity to a halt out of visual sight of the craft, so if it were a trap, the marooned vessel couldn't ID their ship.

"Mal, maybe you forgetting something here," …..now Wash was being a smart-ass, "a little reminder, Jayne nearly got skewered by a reaver in waiting, Serenity was boarded by an Alliance patrol ship, and the rutting house guests of that vessel attach a little "hello" gift to the bottom of our ship. Need I recommend, we sit this one out?"

Mal looked at his pilot….

"…And that's why Zoe and I will take the shuttle to do the exploring. You Wash, will stay here with the rest of the crew and be our back-up, that's the plan. We may lose the shuttle, but if that's the worse that happens then I say it's worth the risk of a rescue mission."

It seemed reasonable, but still was not favored by all.

******************** The "Road Kill" ***********************

The crew of Serenity had been on its way back to Persephone….. partway through completing a job for Badger. It hadn't been a major job, just one to allow Captain Reynolds and crew to stuff a little coin in their pockets, coin of which, his big mercenary Jayne Cobb, would get grumpy if he didn't have.

Serenity had hit somewhat of a "dry well" when it had come to the more lucrative paying jobs, the highly illicit ones and more profitable in nature. Yet those kind of jobs Mal and his team had become accustomed to. This may have been a direct result of the new "Chief Marshal" which had been introduced to the quadrant, the official's name, Anthony Bissel.

Bissel was the new "Sky Chief" over sector 7, quadrant 2. Young in age, Bissel was old in education. The new Alliance ruler of sector 7 was the offspring of a wealthy family who had posted generals and commanders during the "War of Independence", and although the young Bissel had been a youth during the conflict and had obtained no war experience, it made him more zealous to prove himself.

He had been schooled that the border and rim worlds mainly consisted of barbarians, or folk who were more incline to lawlessness. Marshal Bissel's goal was to educate these folk, pull them from the wild, force them into seeing things from a deferent perspective, to see the advantages of a civilized society. Little did he know that the "Independent War" had not been fought by Neanderthals on the opposing side, that the folk of the rim worlds were not creatures with the minds of a slave slugs. Chief Marshal Bissel was clueless as to the true nature of the masses out in the black. He did have the frame of mind that he was going to clear things up, make the quadrant more presentable, and, he wasn't looking to climb down the ladder of success, he was looking to move up.

This "changing of the guard", had brought the illicit dealings and the smuggling business to almost a stand-still. But there were still pirates ready to gamble the chance, and Serenity's crew was one of them. In her hold were six red barrels of body cleanser, soap slurry which had hardened over the top of a hidden cargo beneath. There were thirty bottles of illegally gained liquor in each of those drums, contraband on its way to Persephone, and to the awaiting arms of Badger. Not a bad crime, but bad enough should one get caught, especially with a new sheriff in town. Mal planed for that not to happen. Yet here, in his way was a vessel in need of assistance. The civil thing to do was to at least go have a look, and that was Mal's intention.

He expressed his plan to the rest of the crew and as expected, none of them seemed too happy, least of all Jayne.

"Remember Mal, or has it been that soon that you've forgotten," Jayne's idea was to force Mal to recall that last time, things hadn't gone so pretty….and being a Good Samaritan may gain you a place in heaven, but one didn't have to accelerate one's good duties to get there, "…especially if one could get kilt," Jayne felt that his argument was valid.

The Captain wouldn't hear of it. He felt that it was his duty to give assistance, and if someone needed help, he would see that they got it. However, that didn't mean that he and Zoe would venture over to the craft unarmed, they would be maxed-out with hardware, and he'd have a back-up plan.

The Captain and Zoe entered shuttle 2 and were on their way to the stranded vessel within half an hour. The rest of the crew of Serenity remain on ship and were poised for action, but the back-up plan had seemed rushed.

Wash was thinking that the next time the Captain made a decision to court danger, that instead of his wife being in company, he himself might take a stab at it….

Mal put shuttle 2 in high-gear. In the matter of a moment or two the derelict came into view.

"There she is, all dormant and peaceful like," the Captain spoke, " a true vision of the tranquil, don't you think Zoe?"

"I do Sir."

Mal shuttled his small craft around the vessel. Comparable in size to Serenity, the ship seemed to have fared less well when it came a Captain and crew that loved her. She seemed to have been war damaged, having retained visual scars and wounds that added a bit of character to her shell, yet it was a sad sense of character.

There were no noticeable shuttles grappled to the ship, but that didn't mean that they weren't off-site lying in wait like Serenity. The thing was that that didn't make sense to Mal. Why leach a distress call to be waiting with your lesser vessels off ship? It was his notion that the craft had been abandoned, well, cept for the ones on board who'd sent out the signal.

Mal brought shuttle 2 in to a docking bay and secured the air-lock to the craft. He and Zoe then boarded the vessel and moved cautiously throughout the ship finding no signs of life, nor death for that matter. They made their way up to the bridge and Zoe brought up the Command Screen.

"The Road Kill Sir," she spoke still looking at the screen.

"What?"

Mal was a little confused by his lieutenant's observation.

"Road Kill," she repeated, "…the name of the vessel."

Mal couldn't help but to set a grin on his face, "Just like a pirate to give his vessel such a name," he said, "but who sent out the signal?"

"I did."

In a flash both Mal and Zoe had their weapons at draw, they looked to the back of the bridge, and there, emerging from a hiding place was a young man, maybe seventeen years of age.

"My name's Jeremy, and over there is my sister, Jessica," the boy nodded in the direction across from his and a girl, approximately of the same age, emerged from behind some lockers.

"We sent out a signal a few hours ago, glad that someone found it," the boy spoke.

END PART 2


	3. Chapter 3

"Road Kill 3"

"Check….But Not Necessarily Mate!"

Author's note: Malcolm Reynolds and Zoe have taken shuttle 2 and ventured towards a derelict spacecraft.

Not sure what they would find, the two approached the vessel cautiously and found no threat, at least from the outside (like Serenity, the vessel didn't seem to be a gunship, no visible weapons on the outside). Now….. aboard the "Road Kill", the Captain and Zoe find the persons responsible for sending the SOS, and are a bit surprised by the two standing there before their eyes…..a teenage brother and sister…. by name of Jeremy and Jessica. The two seem readily happy to be rescue, however, there is more to these two than what first meets the eye…..read on to see what happens next, Z.

****************** Check….But Not Necessarily Mate!"*******************

Malcolm Reynolds and his Lieutenant, Zoe Washburne, had arrived on a derelict spacecraft from which Serenity had received a distress call. There they had been confronted by the individuals who had sent the SOS, well, confronted may be a bit of a harsh description, rather it should be said that the two remaining bodies onboard the boat had let their presents be known.

The couple… youths named Jessica and Jeremy, ages sixteen and seventeen respectively, had been abandoned on the craft, but there had been good reason for this, the former proprietors hadn't known that they were there.

Jeremy had begun to explain to Mal that he and his sister were stowaways on the "Road Kill", a vessel headed to the outer rim. The brother and sister had wanted to start a new life, get away from the shackles of Higgins Moon. They had secretly stowed aboard the ship and had stayed hidden on the craft for weeks, sneaking out to get food and water when the majority of her crew had been asleep. This had worked well until their vessel had been attacked.

While in hiding, the Road Kill had been stopped and boarded by a hostile force. The brother and sister had remained in their hiding place and had not actually seen the attackers, but they described the boarding as being, non-pleasant and a bit horrifying. There were screams and gunfire, and finally, after a while, when all had fallen silent, they had decided to abandon their secret position and had found that the ship had been deserted. It had taken Jeremy a while to understand how to use the transmitter to send out a distress call, but he had finally done so. As far as they knew, the ship had lain dormant for sixteen hours.

"Could have been reavers that attacked us, they took the whole crew and woulda gotten me and Jessie too had they knowed we was onboard." The young man had stated to Mal… his eyes wide open. The Captain could only imagine the horror Jeremy and his sister must have felt as they lay hidden in their secret chamber….. And he did feel a bit woeful for the kid, only Jeremy's story did have a ring of falsehood to it.

The whole while Malcolm was talking to the male survivor of the "Road Kill", Zoe had taken his sister aside and was listening to her story. The youths didn't know it, but this was (as the Captain had become personally awareness during his stint of detention by the victors after the War of Independence) a typical interrogation.

As an Alliance POW, Mal had been shown the way to derive information. Divide the guilty (?), and then discuss their stories later to find out if they matched. It was standard operation when wanting to get to the truth….. and Malcolm Reynolds was well aware of the practice.

The boy was very convincing, and Mal was ready to believe him somewhat, only, his story did contain a smidgen of the untruth. Whether this was a purposely contrived attempt at deception, or, the boy may be a bit confused and had just gotten some of his facts wrong, Mal would wait and compare notes with Zoe.

In about fifteen minutes the inquiry was over and Mal had the siblings sit in the pilot and co-pilot's seats while, he, and his team-member talked things over.

"Well, what'd ya think," Mal asked his Lieutenant?

"Sir, her story seems believable, but a little rehearsed," Zoe spoke, "She said her full name is Jessica Grey, and she seemed pretty confident that they were boarded by pirates, rather than reavers."

Mal looked at his first-mate…

"The boy felt full sure that it was reavers," he said, "although those Godless souls haven't been known to venture out this far, and moreover the ship doesn't tell the same story," the Captain paused and looked around the cabin…..

"No blood and guts anywhere. Reavers may be meticulous, but they certainly aren't neat and tidy, this place should be a mess. I'm beginning to get a whiff of "gos se" coming off the boy's tale."

"So they're lying?"

"I'm think'n so, to the max," Mal answered. "Maybe they're wanting us to get comfortable and give Serenity a call, have Wash bring our ship in closer. And then the trap will be sprung and the real vultures can come out and carve up the meat."

Mal and Zoe had been speaking in low tones and whispers, but there was someone at the door of the cock-pit who had been was listening in as well. The man chose this time to make his presents known.

"Yes, that is exactly what I was hoping for…."

Mal and Zoe turned to see a big hulk of a man standing in the entrance of the doorway (imagine someone as big as Crow). The guy was enormous, his silhouette nearly blocking all the illumination coming from the light-source at his back. Yet, just past him they could see others, the man was not alone. All were sporting weapons that could lay waste to the Captain and Zoe in a heartbeat, should the Serenity team move too quickly.

The Captain and Zoe knew that their predicament was dire. Sure, they could make an attempt at defense, maybe even kill a few folk if they emptied their holsters, but the end result would be that they would be dead, and too, more expressively, the crew of Mal's ship would come to investigate (notably Serenity would be drawn into the trap)

There was a time to fight, and a time not to, this time may be the latter.

"I'd undo them gun belts if I were you," the man said, "and let them slip down easy-like to the deck." he spoke.

Mal and Zoe looked at each other, and then they dropped their weapon to the floor, slow and easy, just as the man had requested.

END PART 3


	4. Chapter 4

Road Kill 4

"Border-World Brawlers"

Author's note: A little AU introduced into the story arc. Actually something that is really out-there, and I hope fun, Z

******************** Border-World Brawlers ***********************

It had only been moments since the Captain and his first mate had been captured, and the big hulk of a man who had taken them prisoner had collected their weapons from the floor. Then he had huddled Mal and Zoe into a corner of the bridge where they could be handled more easily.

The guy then turned to one of the individuals who'd accompanied him onto the bridge and whispered something to the man quietly, from that point the new fellow kept his weapon trained on the two. This gave Mal the impression that he had been given an order to guard them and make sure that they stayed put, which….. when there is a gun pointed at one's gut, a person may feel inclined to stay glued to the spot where they stood.

At this juncture neither Mal nor Zoe had any plans for escape (although the Captain and Zoe each had a hidden weapon contained within their boot), still, that was for dire purposes only, which from, their viewpoint now, this situation had not progressed.

It was then that the Commander of Serenity noticed (what he assumed was the rest of the crew of the "Road Kill"), enter onto the bridge.

Now… there were four adults in all, three men and one woman (besides the youngsters Jeremy and Jessica Grey), which brought the total number of known members aboard the vessel to six.

The woman was speaking to the big guy, and her manner led both Mal and Zoe to believe that, although the fellow may be in charge of the ship, he was not in charge of her.

"… still Garrison, I don't like the idea of you using them as bait," the woman was saying, "they're just children and I don't think it's worth the risk."

From their positions (standing off to one side of the cock-pit), if Mal or Zoe were to guess, they would assumed that she was talking about Jeremy and Jessica.

The man looked a bit irritated by the female for voicing her opinion, and for such a big guy, he seemed to be a bit threatened too, threatened by a woman that was no bigger than any of the ladies aboard Serenity… Mal was thinking. This also had the Captain assume that there was more to this particular relationship than what first met the eye, a connection that bound the two together, a bond that might be anchored in the graces of holy nuptials.

Why else would a man let himself be antagonized by a woman a third his size? The reasons were rather obvious. Unless she be his mother (and this lady didn't seem to be old enough to be that), the two were connected in a way that Book would consider as a blessed union (Funny how details can be picked out of a conversation when people were ironing out their personal issues). Times like these made Mal happy to have the notion that he was wed to Serenity. Shipboard relationships made things more complicated, and he never approved of then on his boat (even though master of his own vessel, he undoubtedly was not master of everyone onboard). Hell, even Serenity gave him fits sometimes.

Returning to the moment at hand, the big man being battered by the woman voiced his own opinion…

"Look Marcy, the kids preformed their duties well, no harm no foul. Besides, I think they rather enjoyed being included in our little hi-jinx this time."

Satisfied that he had proven his point, Garrison turned to the two teenagers and gave them a wink. He then returned his attention to the visitors aboard his ship.

"Now my friends," he spoke with a grin, "there seems to be a boat out there just out of eyesight, a boat of your origin. A ship that you will call and deliver an "all clear" to, and then you'll have them slowly advance and ease their way to our starboard side," he paused, "At which point we will lock portals and they will come aboard cool and collected," Garrison stopped, he was observing through their eyes if they were following his instructions, they seemed to be, he continued…

"If all goes well then, in a bit over an hour, you and yours may return to your craft, a little lighter of cargo perhaps, but still breathing and with no wounds to speak of."

So, this was the deal (Mal was thinking), he had been rooked again, only he and Zoe had been able to figure out that it was a trap before Serenity had been contacted and committed to enter into the mix.

Now, the Captain's back-up plan would be put into effect, and that plan called for him to post transmission to Serenity and give her the "OK" if things were not OK. This would alarm his team, the crew that remained aboard Serenity, that something was amiss. However, if he called and reported, "Goose eggs are spotted in November", that was the actually the signal for the "all clear".

"You," Garrison said pointing to the Captain, "…will give your ship a call and have them come in and dock with us. Now, need I remind you, no funny business or I'll put a bullet through your partner's skull," as he spoke Garrison put a gun to Zoe's head.

Mal eased over to the ship's bridge controls. He sat in the pilot's chair and began his transmission to Serenity….

"_**This is Reynolds to Firefly, come in Firefly,"... **_he began.

"_**This is Firefly come in Reynolds," **_…Wash replied.

"_**Everything is fine here, ship is good….you have our "OK" to proceed,"**_

There was a pause for a moment….before a returned transmission.

"_**OK to proceed? Roger that…. ready to proceed at your request and am warming up engines to rendezvous at your direction Reynolds. "**_

Upon hearing this, the transmission seemed to be direct and totally what the Captain of the Road Kill had wanted. But as he thought about it, Garrison became alerted, and suspected that something wasn't right. He might not have been the brightest kid on the block, but he was sharp enough to detect when there may be a game being played on him. He quickly snatched the mic from the Captain and gave his own command to the pilot of Serenity.

"_**Firefly this is Garrison, Garrison Grey of the vessel in question. I don't know what kind of tricks you guys are trying to play, but rest assured that I will put a bullet through my captives heads should you not heed every detail of my words. The crewmembers of your boat here will certainly die if my orders are not followed to the letter….. Do you copy?"**_

There was a pause, then a return transmission, only now, the voice sounded different.

"_**This is not the same Garrison Grey that used to be a member of the *BWBF, not Grizzly Garrison?"...*(BWBF, Border-World Brawlers Federation, a semi- pro wrestling league that used to tour the outlying border and rim worlds before the war).**_

Garrison seemed a bit confused that someone would recognize him.

"_**Yes, I am that same person….."**_

"_**Well I'll be a monkey's step father…."**_

It was then that Garrison recognized the voice of the person that he was in communication with…

"_**Jayne? Jayne Cobb, you 'ol Cod thief. What have you been up to?"**_

There aren't words to describe what the other members of each vessel were feeling as they all were shocked by the conversation going on between two old brawling warriors that used to be competitors in the BWBL. The two would have seemed more at home in the stadium of an athletic complex, talking about old war stories, rather than now, opponents facing off in space.

Malcolm Reynolds had become accustomed to the bazar, but this was well past that. This was a strange turn of events for sure, he was thinking. Even stranger than any words the he had ever heard mumbled out of the mouth of River Tam, and that was saying a lot.

END PART 4


	5. Chapter 5

Road Kill 5

"The Grapplers Society"

************* Prologue: Peeping A Little Into The Past *************

"The Grapplers Society" and the "Border-World Brawlers Federation" were 2 semi-pro wrestling leagues set up by an enterprising young entrepreneur for entertainment purposes out on the border and rim world planets. Although the leagues' owner collected most of the profits, there was enough left over to attract a fellow of competing size, a character by the name of Jayne Cobb. Jayne had entered the league, but after about a dozen bouts became injured and had to be sidelined until his wound could heal.

One particular night Jayne and a fellow brawler named Garrison "the Grizzly" Grey were in the stands watching two other individuals "battle it out" in a grappling ring. They were on a border world and had been enticed to "come put on a show" for the populace at a place known as Higgins Moon.

At this moment, Jayne was sitting in the stands being entertained by two individuals of an opposing league known as "The Grapplers Society", and Jayne knew each of the participants. The first was a huge, skyplex of a guy who'd been part of the league well before Jayne had joined, fellow's ring name was Manson "The Mountain" Miller, and the second competitor was a fellow known as Stitch "The Henchman" Hessian.

Both guys were of equal in talent and manner, however, although Miller was bigger, Stitch was stronger, and the bout seemed to be entertaining the full arena of mudders who had come to watch the show.

At this time there had been rumors of an impending war, a fire that only needed a spark to get started, a conflict between the rim and border planets against the core worlds. Once the war started Jayne knew that it wouldn't be long before his meal ticket as a brawler would dry up, however, he had devised a plan, a plan that would lighten the pockets of the magistrate of this hell-hole of a world and make him wealthy for a time.

Jayne had enlisted an associate, a fellow that was in the grappling ring at this very moment. Stitch Hessian was in nearly the same predicament as J.C. He wasn't ready to give up his monthly earnings just because a war broke out. He had buddied up with Jayne, and the plan was to rob Magistrate Higgins the next day, then rejoin the members of the Grapplers Society as they journeyed to their next destination. Jayne hadn't filled him in on the details to the heist at this point, but Stitch trusted his partner in crime.

******************** Back To The Future ***********************

The Road Kill, a vessel that seemed to be stranded out in the middle of no & where had sent out a distress call…unknown as to how long the signal had pinged before it reached Serenity, the beacon could have been sent out on a continuous loop, allowing for the occupants of the doomed vessel to have exited long ago, or now, be long since dead. The signal received by Mal's ship told of a boat in need of assistance, a ship marooned out in the middle of the verse. Anyone out in the black could possibly have come to its rescue; however, the crew of Serenity were unaware that they were not the first to stumble into its alluring web.

Still, the Road Kill was picky about its meals. It posted an obligation to detail who it invited inside its walls. It manifested an agenda to lure victims in that were promising, yet not a threat.

A lion may be "king of the jungle", but it is rare that it will attack an elephant, meaning that, if a vessel seemed to be more than they could handle, or was of the Alliance persuasion, then Jeremy and Jessica were not to signal the "crippled duck" transmission.

Now, as it has happened, Captain Reynolds and shipmate Zoe had become captive on the vessel, and all I can tell ya is that Malcolm Reynolds is a softy. He feels an obligation to help people, a trait that was originally instilled within him by his mother (God rest her soul), and the family of cowboys Mrs. Reynolds employed on her ranch. Mal met the criteria of whom the Road Kill would welcome into its trap.

Captain Reynolds (or Sergeant Reynolds if one prefers) is a man of guilt and complex, he can never just let things go. He is the kind of guy who would walk a kitten across a busy street (if he thought no one was looking). Still, as complex as the Captain is, he has folk aboard his ship that are just as complex and nearly as adamant about their past.

******************** Author's Note ***********************

I like exploring these characters, and this particular chapter is more of an exploration of how things got started, to the story arc of "Road Kill". A bit more back-story of Jayne, and his possible life prior to boarding Serenity. There may be a few surprises, and some added characters from the show.

**Z the Browncoat**, I find myself a BIG fan of the tv show and the BDM, and also, it is the reason why I write these stories and I hope to keep the Firefly universe flying.

******************** The Warm Up ***********************

Aboard ship, at first Malcolm Reynolds and Zoe had been confronted by a couple of teenagers (then only later to be confronted by folk a size bigger). As it turns out the whole ordeal was a trap, a trap to ensnare Serenity. Not particularly because these folk were looking to gain reward money posted for capturing fugitives (ie, Simon and River Tam), nope, their motives were a bit shallower.

They simply want to steal anything of value that could be gained from Serenity (as true pirates are warrant to do).

Once their victims had become ensnared ("come into my parlor said the spider to the fly"), Garrison Grey could choose how he wished to manipulate the outcome. This had worked well on two other ships before the Road Kill had come across Captain Reynolds and Serenity.

Malcolm Reynolds was too smart for such enticement; well, at least smart enough not to invest his full crew and vessel. He and Zoe did board the mysterious spacecraft by way of shuttle 2.

However, now things were different, and any idea that the Captain may have entertained of either expanding Serenity's payday (from the original job initiated by Badger) or actually rescuing a sister vessel that was in distress, had fallen by the wayside.

There had been ,introduced into the mix, the variant of an alternate encounter. A new unforeseeable turn of events that no one could have ever imagined. Those events were as such….

Two persons, one of each vessel, had recognized the other. Simply put, Garrison Grey had recognized Jayne's voice, and vice verse. The two, having known each other since before the war, had a multitude of life experiences and details of what had happened to them post their departure.

The two kept chatting away as if they were old playground buddies, which included a competition that had never happened, a bout that was supposed to have taken place on Higgin's Moon, but had been delayed due to an injury expressed by Jayne Cobb (a knee injury that would prevent him from functioning to the best of his ability).

Because of that delay, the match had never taken place. Before Jayne had healed... Grizzly Garrison had been recruited into the Browncoat army and was whizzed off to boot-camp to prepare to fight against the Alliance …..So, as it would seem, there was still the question as to who was the better brawler.

Now each wondered how their match-up woulda turned out had their bout taken place. Would Jayne actually have the bragging rights to the "Border-World Brawler King" title, or would the crown have sat upon the brow of Grizzly Garrison?

For this turn of events to have happened, the gods of the cosmos may have taken wagers themselves, and were as curious as the mudders as to how the out-come would have turned out. An out-come that soon may be tested.

END PART 5


	6. Chapter 6

Road Kill 6

"Captain Cobb"

Author's note: Jayne gets Serenity, or does he?

******************** Prologue ***********************

Jayne Cobb and "Grizzly" Garrison Grey have posted themselves upon the bridges of their respective vessels. The big mercenary (Jayne) having more or less swayed Garrison into thinking that he is the Captain of Serenity, rather than just a hired gun.

Jayne is smart; however, is he smart enough to sway his old friend into relinquishing the hostages held captive aboard the Road Kill? Both Malcolm Reynolds & Zoe have been placed as hostage aboard Garrison's boat, and as such, have been put out-of-commission as to how things will come to play, however, not totally, they still have a trick or two up their sleeves, or rather should I say, in their boots.

Jayne is unaware of this, and he finds himself back in a position where Serenity "could be" his, if he chooses not to assist the Captain and Mal's first-mate. Will the big mercenary seize this as an opportune moment, a time where he can take command over Serenity, or will he see this as a moment to vent the release of his friends?

Jayne Cobb is (as is well known by the fan-ship of the series), an opportunist. At any given moment the big mercenary may take advantage of a situation, any advantage that would allow him possession of his own boat. He would love to become master of his own craft, yet he is also aware of the consequences. Would he be able to sway the folk aboard Serenity to think of him as a better commander than Malcolm Reynolds? In a word...NO.

I see this as a bit of irony, and I think readers can smell the B/S coming off that plan, however, by no means do I see Jayne as coming-off as an idiot. He may be viewed as a fellow seemingly uneducated…. and a bit out of his league, and also a fellow out for himself too, but I see the character as not lacking intelligence by any means, maybe only misdirected priorities.

I don't think that Jayne is ready to make that move. Still, just because Jayne lacks schooling doesn't make him less educated in other ways. He seems to be a paradox, which makes him all the more interesting of a character. Born of a poor mother and father, Jayne is not stupid, he is only a person that equates money with power, and power with success. However, he is also smart enough to realize that Mal is his protector, a captain willing to look after him and consider his goals, and there are not many men in the universe that the big mercenary looks up to and respects, which actually does make Mal and his crew special.

There is such a thing that allows me to think, in some regard, that experience sometimes trumps education. Just because a person may hold a degree, well…. it doesn't necessarily make them smarter.

Anyhoo, be that as it may, taking advantage of a situation is certainly an option at this point for Jayne, yet is he fully aware of the consequences? He may not be master over Serenity at this point...but, whenever has that stopped him from trying? Below there may be some answer, Z

******************** Captain Cobb ***********************

Garrison "The Grizzly" Grey and Jayne Cobb, how could two men on opposing vessels (who shared a history, a link to a time when they were different people…..rather than who they are now), be discussing moments of their past way out in the dark reaches of space?

In the past, both men had been members of the same wrestling league, a traveling band of gypsies if you will, a group calling itself "the Border-World Brawlers"….

That was understood by all aboard the two ships, but now, how these two men had come together (at this moment, at this place),becoming reunited in the vast reaches of the cosmos, well that was a question held by all others aboard each vessel that seemed beyond description. Did the gods afford it? Did the universe calculate in mysterious ways that the bout between Jayne Cobb and Garrison "the Grizzly" Grey had been destine to happen…so was it designed by the "deities on Mount Olympus" that it _would_ happen?

Who'd have thought that, in the limitless regions of the cosmos Jayne Cobb and Grizzly Garrison could ever stumble across one another again? There weren't many folk in the verse who would give two coppers thinking that this could be the case (this new solar system, a mere few generations old, was comparable in size to a flea sitting on a hound dog's rump, as to the vastness of range out in the **Black)**,the chances of two folk ever meeting up by chance were almost nil, so, how in all of its immensity, could two acquaintances, of a time years ago, be brought back together? The odd were staggering.

Jayne and Garrison had established communication over the airwaves (not that there are airwaves in space, just a metaphor expressing that they had established a dialogue), too, the Captain of the Road Kill was of the idea that Jayne was also the captain of his own vessel, who do you think had given him that impression?

Anyway, the two men had become absorbed in a moment of nostalgia, not that anyone else aboard either vessel gave a laoshuweiba (rat's tail) about their past, or who they were before this moment in time.

Everyone had a story to tell, and, as it were, these two fellows had known each other, as of what seemed eons ago, however at present they were brigands, pirates living on the edge of the system, a system that considered them more or less as lawless predators (scavengers looking for their next meal), rather than taxpaying citizens of a civilized society. Now, the two old gladiators were pouring over a history that, although the trip down memory-lane may be fun for Garrison and Jayne, for the rest of their crews… was taking up valued vestment (investment) to plunder and pillage (metaphorically) , and was wasting time.

Grizzly Garrison looked over at the two hostages that he was holding aboard the Road Kill. Looking eyeball to eyeball with Malcolm Reynolds, Garrison transmission to Jayne told that he held all the stones in his quarry, that in his hands was the trump card and that there was bargaining to be done.

"Well now Captain Cobb," the big man spoke into the transmitter, "all nostalgic memories aside, I have two of your crew post captive aboard my ship. That tends to sway the advantage in my favor. What are you willing to give me, or what do you have in trade that will see these two again aboard your vessel?"

Although "Grizzly" had enjoyed his little trip back to the past, he was a family man, and with his wife Marcy, and two children, Jeremy and Jessica; he was looking to move beyond this exchange of chronicle. There was trading to be done, and he was feeling confident that he held the superior bargaining chip.

There was a pause in the transmission as Garrison looked over at Mal and Zoe knowing full well that although his and Jayne's relationship had been before, on friendlier terms, but this was business. Garrison had a family to feed, and a crew to take care of. Talking about one's dealings in the past was enjoyable, but it didn't put food on the table or fuel in your tank.

As a Captain himself, Garrison knew that a commander's crew was more valued than any cargo held upon his vessel, and that said, a captain would pay handsomely for their return. Garrison was feeling that he was holding the shamrock stone. The transmission from Serenity resumed…..

"Ain't nothing of mine of value aboard your vessel, ceptin' maybe that shuttle. Why do you think I volunteered those two to search your ship, they was expendable."

Jayne's words shook the entire crew of the Road Kill, and Mal and Zoe were stunned as well. The actual Captain of Serenity, and his first mate, shifted gazes to one another.

Surely Jayne wouldn't use this to try to take over Serenity? Viewing Zoe in silence Mal knew that that was ridiculous, he shrugged his shoulders and she rolled her eyes. Jayne may not be the smartest "Jack" on two dozen worlds, but he was not stupid enough the think that he could take over Serenity without setting off a mutiny.

Garrison contemplated the idea of what Jayne had said, and then he answered….

"Well then, how about I just put a bullet into my two captives' heads,"

There was a pause….

"That would be a waste…,"came the reply, "of two costly bullets…..but go ahead and waste ammo, your loss."

The Captain of the Road Kill became befuddled about what to do. It took him a while but he came up with an alternative suggestion.

"How about then, we settle this man to man, brawler to brawler. You come over to my ship and "we" have a brawling match for the cargo in your hold. When you come aboard, my captives will be freed and our match will determine what leaves your vessel, *B to B honor, agreed?"

(*B to B honor =brawler to brawler honor, kinda like scout's honor)

The message was transmitted and in a short while the signal was returned…..

"Don't seem like there's much in it for me…but agreed,"came the response from Serenity.

Garrison looked over at Malcolm Reynolds...

"Your Captain just saved your lives," he spoke, although the veterans of Serenity Valley may be in dispute of that idea.

END PART 4

Below the story- Took a little CL (creative License) with the Firefly universe here. Hope that readers are OK with that, thanks for reading, Z.


	7. Chapter 7

Road Kill 7

"Weighed, but not Delayed"

Author's note: "Weighed,b-n Delayed"….7th chapter of the Road Kill story arc. Jayne boards the Road Kill, and is confronted by his old friend….(two lions circling each other looking for the advantage). Does Serenity's mercenary have the wits to joist with his past brawling partner, or is the 'Griz" smarter? Jayne weighs his options, and the encounter has some bumps to be agreed upon before a brawling match will ensure…Z

******************** Weighed, but not Delayed ***********************

Inara wasn't too happy that her rented transport was being used (as the fail-safe vessel) in this scheme of recovery and deception. But it was the only thing that the crew of Serenity could think of quickly that would still afford them a measure of impunity (maintain Serenity at arm's length…. away from Garrison Grey).

Captain Reynolds' plans…(well, those ideas that Mal had to keep his ship flying, and keep his crew happy and fed), were usually good ones, but never did it seem that they went accordingly smooth. His idea, at this juncture, had been that he and Zoe would swoop down onto the Road Kill at this time, and either save a stranded vessel (marooned out in the vacuum of space), or plunder an empty shell…well that plan, just as many of his ideas, had gone well south. Now, he and his first-mate were being held captive aboard the opposing ship of a fellow scavenger.

Scavenger….that being said, Mal would never imply that being a scavenger was a bad thing, he himself had been called that many times, still, the idea of a vulture plucking the eye out of another vulture was a bit unsettling when it came to a pirate stealing from another pirate. It was almost like a pickpocket thieving from another pickpocket, then turning around and calling said pickpocket a thief. It did seem a bit hypocritical.

It was well-known out in the _**Black**_ that some pirates did rob others pirates, which seemed a bit ironic because most of the time there was nothing to steal, still, in Mal's way of thinking it was breaking the "Pirates' code". Not that there was an actual document which indicated such things. The "Pirates' Code" was just an unwritten testament which implied certain guidelines, a code followed by some, yet ignored by others. A bit of an honored rule that expressed that one buzzard would not pull the bounty from the beak of another.

However, such things did happen. In every culture there was always someone willing to break the rules.

Originally Grizzly Garrison had wanted to lure the mother transport in. To accomplish this he had used his children to broadcast the _CRIPPLED DUCK_ decoy transmission. However, the Captain of Serenity had proven far too smart for that ploy. Instead the Road Kill had been boarded by the use of a shuttle, and now he was holding hostage the two individuals who'd come aboard. He had bargained for their release with an old friend of his, an old brawling buddy named Jayne Cobb, supposed Captain of the Firefly vessel named Serenity.

Captain Jayne Cobb had been lured onto his boat and was now just making dock with the Road KIll. They had agreed that Garrison would release the Serenity crew team, if her Captain was to come aboard and complete some unfinished business, meaning the brawling match that was supposed to have taken place between the two men years ago could be finished in the ship's cargo hold. A mat had already been secured to the floor.

As Jayne stood there, assessing what he was about to do,…. and hoping that the plan that he, Wash, and Kaylee had come up with would work out the way it should, he began looking around at Inara's shuttle….

"This resembles a core-world whore's apartment," he spoke. Then he remembered who the Captain had rented the vessel to, "well I guess that fits," he said.

Soon enough the door opened and the big mercenary stood facing three men of the opposing craft. One he recognized.

"Grizzly."

"How are you doing… you old fool?" the other man spoke to Jayne. He was bigger than Serenity's resident merc, wider of shoulder, but with that weight came also the tonnage of unwanted pounds. He was quite a bit heavier than Jayne.

Serenity's (assumed) Captain was hoping that this would make him slower during their brawling match. Jayne looked down at Grizzly's gut…..

"I'm living pretty healthy, but not as good as you it looks," both men smiled.

Grizzly then tilted his head in a fashion that implied that his two men should search Jayne's vessel.

"Not that I don't trust you friend, but this is business."

As Garrison's two men scoured Inara's craft, Grizzly remained face to face with Jayne. There wasn't much in the Companion's shuttle to find. Fluffy pillows, a comfortable looking bed, and hanging drapes that cordoned off one area from another….. making the small craft seem bigger than it actually was.

Grizzly looked around at the fancy décor…

"Impressive," He spoke with a smile,"xianqiao (dainty) but impressive."

Jayne, searching his brain for an explanation looked at his friend….

"To impress the ladies on Persephone," he said, "you'd be surprised at the "favors" I acquire when I invite a lady-friend onto this shuttle. Might-haps you and I can get together sometimes, talk about the old days without the disturbing glances of crews that don't care much about who we was before?"

Jayne's answer seemed to satisfy the big man's query as to why a ship's captain would have his shuttle decorated so yinxing (feminine), especially a man like Jayne. Garrison gave an answer to his old brawler rival…..

"Sorry old buddy, but I'm married now, and got myself two ducklings on the bridge watching over the two bodies you posted aboard my vessel," Garrison paused for a moment, "For someone who doesn't care too much if those two get wasted, you sure agreed to shuttle yourself over here quickly, and…"

"...And I can leave just as fast," Jayne spoke. His manner implied that he was here to complete the match that he and Grizzly were supposed to have had (what seemed as eons ago), rather than post reason as to this being a rescue mission.

Garrison looked that his two men who had been searching the shuttle. They gave him the head nod that noted that nothing was amiss, and that there was no one else aboard. Jayne looked at his old friend from times past.

"I came here under the impression that you wanted a brawling match. If we're done here then as soon as your men exit I'll take my companion-wagon and be on my way," he spoke.

Garrison did not answer, he only motioned for his men to remove themselves from the shuttle. Jayne made the motion to close the access door (a gamble for sure, but one that paid off)

"HOLD!"

Jayne stopped….. his fingers only inches from sealing the shuttle off and proving that he was willing to return to his ship (also winning a bet with himself that told him that Grizzly would not allow him to leave.

"So….what's it gonna be," Jayne asked?

Garrison viewed his old acquaintance with more respect now….

"You, and I my friend, have a brawlers match to resume."

END PART 7


	8. Chapter 8

Road Kill 8

"Questionable Jayne"

Author's note: Questionable Jayne: chap 8.

How often is Jayne given an opportunity to secure financial gain? Well, let me tell ya, since joining the team of Serenity and coming under the influence of Malcolm Reynolds he has made more money than all of his other endeavors combined…..more than he made as a _**Brawler**_, more than he made with **Marco**, and more than he made with any other pirate he ran with during… or post the Unification War (yet he is loyal to Mal more than the Captain of Serenity realizes).

Jayne is a bit of a conjecture, an embodiment of paradox.

Unknown to most folk, even the one's aboard Serenity, Jayne does sport a code, a cloak of armor, an honorable shield that tells him that he can't make enemies of everyone .That there are certain individuals that he must remain subject to, and also, as a side note, the big merc has the intelligence to understand that one of those individuals is Captain Reynolds.

Jayne sends money back to the folks he swore to support on his home world. The people he left behind, his family (his mother, and the siblings for sure) and Jayne is not a person that forgets his past.

I see Mr. Cobb as a man of accelerated physical size... with the stature of a Midwestern buffalo (metaphorically speaking), yet a person that expresses himself more with his gestures and mannerisms rather than with tongue. He possesses the soul of a literary, a person (although of limited schooling) still has the smarts, intelligence and wit to expel what you see before you, and betrayed your vision. Yet Jayne is even more than that, at times he is even a man of conscious.

Still, with all that said, the big fellow does carry a mean streak, a cruelness that may be the result of a harsh, demanding father?

Serenity's big merc does carry deep within his soul (with his loyalties and priorities) a semblance of structure...something of which Malcolm Reynolds does not even know about. Loyalties to his family, and even loyalties to Serenity (even though his ambition to become a filthy rich cu- zillionaire manifest itself as being a priority), I see Jayne as a man out to prove himself, to show the folk that ridiculed him as a child that he is not stupid. However, in wanting to prove one's worth, where does one draw the line when it comes to betraying one's associates, therein lays the question?

**************The Questionable Jayne Cobb *******************

As Commander Jayne Cobb, Captain of Serenity, was led down the hallways and corridors of his friend, Grizzly Garrison's, vessel, the big merc made mental notes of his brawling buddy's boat. Where the exits were, and where there were passageways leading to other areas.

Malcolm Reynolds had trained his crew well, when it came to their mental means of being observant… Team Serenity's senses had been honed to a fine edge. Their abilities of being acute was bar-none less than the best, and the real Captain of Serenity was ready to boast that he had put together the finest team that had ever flown a craft through the universe (members of which included Doc Simon and River Tam, and also Shepherd Book and Inara).

Although Mal had never been a braggart, he was ready to post that his crew could out-fly, out maneuver, out-wit and outsmart, any rival pirate crew in the galaxy, and….the confidence he felt in his boat-party was such that, he would even match them against the powers of the Alliance…. anytime, any day (after all, hadn't he and his cohorts made fools of those purple-bellies before, on more than one occasion?).

Now, with that all being said, there still lay a disturbance in the FORCE (yes I really did write that). A weak link in the chain that made Serenity vulnerable, made her prey to scavenger and hunter alike. A person aboard Mal's boat that made the Captain still question THAT crewmember's loyalty, and, said person was none other than the individual who'd come aboard the Road Kill only moments ago.

Jayne Cobb, Malcolm sometimes still had his doubts about his ship's resident merc. He knew of the big man's ability to jump ship, to be lured to the opposite side. He had witnessed it first-hand. Hell, he'd actually been guilty of exposing this fault…..Cobb's weakness for coin, his allure for money, and also, his ability to "turn" on his friends for its acquisition….. This made Jayne a wildcard in certain situations.

Although Mal took no responsibility for exposing the big merc's true colors (ever since that little episode on Ariel, where he had almost succeeded in "Judasing" Simon and River), the Captain kept a steady eye of the big fellow. Still it seemed a bit of ironic that Jayne was the individual who'd been sent aboard to warrant their rescue from the Road Kill.

As Cobb made his way down to the ship's cargo hold the question remained in Mal's mind…Would Jayne seize this as an opportunity for himself? (A chance to gain advantage over his own boat: either the acquisition of Serenity or maybe, the take-over of the Road Kill?), or was he still onboard with the plan, a plan that was constantly changing? Only time, and the outcome of this adventure, would tell.

******************** The Match Begins ***********************

Just as stated before, as Jayne was being marched through the bowels of the Road Kill, he was making note of all kinds of things. Where escape routes could be located, where hiding places could be found, and where defensive positions could be taken… if a gun-battle should ensure. These were things he was making himself aware of should this venture turn sour.

Grizzly led the big man down a corridor which finally ended with them in the cargo hold. Although the inner workings of the Road Kill sort of mimicked Serenity, the outside structure of the craft in no way resembled the Firefly vessel….the facade of the Road Kill was somewhat of a beat-up and scarred vessel, a ship in distress. Had it purposely been maintained that way as to lure unsuspecting rescuers into thinking that it was a derelict spacecraft (if one wanted to attract flies, what better way than to present a vehicle that was assumed to be a dead carcass).

Serenity's big mercenary was thinking in his brain that he wouldn't mind being Commander of a vessel like this. His own craft, with his own crew, it was tempting…..and then his eyes fell upon a vision that stopped him dead in his tracks…..Marcy.

Marcy Grey was a small sexy woman, yet with a demeanor that could seem as tough as nails. Cute as a button, with a manner that reminded him of Zoe, there was something more familiar about her…. Jayne was immediately taken back. He stood there for the breath of two seconds, and then it hit him. Marcy was a dead-ringer for a girl he remembered back on Higgins Moon, a girl he'd been inclined to know better the night before he'd faced-off with Stitch Hessian, a woman named Janice. She must be Janice's twin, or at least her sister. Jayne was stunned…yet his attention was averted to another area quickly.

It was at that moment that Mal and Zoe had been escorted down to the cargo hold.

"Thought we'd perform our little exhibition in witness of an audience," Grizzly said, "some fans of yours, and some of mine," the Commander of the Road Kill seemed fairly confident of the outcome of the brawlers' match, he stopped just shy of calling himself victor of the duel already.

"Now I caution you Jayne, don't become angry when I mop up the tarp with your unconscious bunk in front of your friends here,"…..Grizzly entertained with a wide grin on his face.

Jayne studied the man's expression for a moment….

"Oh, I won't," Serenity's mercenary spoke, "….cuz'n they won't be here," Jayne countered, "The agreement was that they would be released if I came aboard and faced you in a match that was supposed to have taken place in _**Mudders' Arena**_, back in Canton years ago….. remember?"

Of course Grizzly remembered that the arrangement was to release Mal and Zoe, he was just hoping that Jayne had forgotten. There was a moment of pause…then Garrison, in honor of the agreement, voiced his command….

"OK, Blake….escort Captain Cobb's associates back to their shuttle. See to it that they leave and head back to Serenity without incident," Garrison gave his order.

At that moment Mal and Zoe began walking toward Inara's shuttle….. and as the Captain of Serenity walked past Jayne he secretly slipped a transmitter into the big merc's pocket.

"Hey! Your shuttle is that way," Grizzly announced, pointing to the port which harbored shuttle 2.

Malcolm Reynolds looked over at the Commander of the Road Kill…..

"Yes but Captain Cobb never leaves his shuttle behind…." Mal looked at Jayne. The eye contact expressed between the two spoke of a new plan in progress, a plan that was being made up by the moment. Jayne knew that he should follow the Captain's lead.

Spontaneity… that was one of the strengths of the team of Serenity….Mal had always relied on his crew to be able to make decisions without him. There was a structure of command aboard his ship; first there was himself, then Zoe, Wash followed then Shepherd Book, Kaylee, Inara, Simon, Jayne and then River.

Of course he had never spoken this to Jayne. The big merc may be less inclined to go along with Serenity doctrine if he knew that his command had fallen to number eight on a list nine (just over River), and that there were three fare-paying individuals aboard who's opinion out-weighed his own. Better to keep the big guy in the dark, rather than throw pebbles in a pond that would produce waves of conflict.

"That's right," Jayne said, while looking at Mal and understanding that this was part of a revised plan "….don't want your cohorts trashing my shuttle once I beat your ass into the carpet," Jayne told Grizzly. The touts and boasts of the two ex-brawlers had begun early, a remnant of the showmanship of the Brawlers' Federation.

Garrison smiled…..he was actually enjoying this little revert back to his past life.

Once Jayne's associates had taken fight, and were on their return trip to Serenity, Garrison and Jayne were ready to resume the task at hand….the brawlers' match. Both emptied their pockets and put their weapons atop several wooden crates which were stored inside the hold.

Each man began to circle the other on the mat, both looking for an opening the other may not be ready for. Suddenly Grizzly sprang upon Jayne with the prowess of a panther upon a sheepherder. Jayne folded to the floor and flipped Garrison using the "Jersey Tumbler" (a move which indicated that said opponent was thrown head-over-heel in a direction inferred by the tumbler).

Grizzly went flying over the torso of Jayne, and slammed hard against a stack of crates which had been covered by a tarp, yet now lay exposed as the tarp came tumbling down to reveal the red stenciling on the crates indicating that it was owned by "Red Tiger Inc." a subsidiary of Blue Sun Corporation.

Jayne knew of "Red Tiger", and knew that whatever was in the crates had likely been stolen from the Alliance by Grizzly, or maybe taken from another pirate who'd stolen it from the Alliance. There was little time to think of it now. Grizzly was back on his feet, and had paused to wipe a trickle of blood that had been produced by a busted lip. He smiled before continuing his attack…..

"Just like old times, aaa Jayne?" He spoke…

Then he came at the big merc again.

END PART 8


	9. Chapter 9

Road Kill 9

"Wrestling Grizzly"

Author's note: Chapter 9 "Wrestling Grizzly".

Had a bit of fun with the sub-title of this chapter and, of course, there is no human on earth that could ever match strength with an actual grizzly bear, well, other than one that was not tamed. FYI the underlying title "Wrestling Grizzly" was the idea that started this whole story arc in the first place. "Wrestling Grizzly' and "Road Kill" were two sub-titles that seemed very strong, and I chose to build a story around them, as I often do. Also there are a few actual wrestling terms used in the following chapter, and too, some made up completely from imagination... Anyhoo, thanks for reading.

_**What has gone before:**_

Jayne Cobb finds himself aboard the Road Kill. A vessel Malcolm Reynolds sought to plunder thinking that it may be an abandoned craft. Of course the fate of Captain Reynolds always seems to fall short (somewhere between the pathways of fool and misfortune), and even though Mal has become hardened by past ventures of deception (the distress call from the Road Kill was but a set-up, a trap to lure Serenity in) he is ready for it.

Now, odd as it may seem, Jayne faces off in a brawler's match with a man from his past. The outcome of which is still questionable. Jayne has delivered the first insult (by flinging Grizzly over his head into a stack of crates)…..still the grapplers match is far from over. Read on to see what happens next, Z.

************** Wrestling Grizzly *******************

Grizzly Grey stood there for a moment, sizing up the man from Serenity. He whipped the blood dripping from his mouth (away from his busted lip), a sure indication that Jayne was not a man to be toyed with.

Garrison looked deeply into his opponent's eyes…Jayne Cobb stood there poised and ready.

Through the years (as a Brawler or Grappler learns their craft), they are taught that studying the subtle body language of their advisory is essential; it may indicate their next move, but also, a true student of the craft will not ignore the eyes. The eyes are the true windows to the soul, and as such, may reveal a person's true intent.

Studying an opponent's eyes was just as important as studying their body language. It may give a Grappler an open port to his opponent's state of mind, a clue as to what the other person was thinking. Garrison could read in Jayne's eyes that he was determined to win this match, but he, as the Captain of the Road Kill, felt just as determined.

Garrison certainly didn't want to be made a fool of in front of his children, or his wife, or the crew-members of his ship for that matter. This was his boat, and as Captain of his vessel he was damned if he would allow someone to come aboard and beat him at his own game, even if it were an old friend and acquaintance from his past.

Before launching his new attack... Jayne could see that Grizzly was analyzing the situation. The big brawler of a man, and Captain of the Road Kill had been surprised by Jayne's speed. Had Cobb become faster in his agility since their old days in the Brawlers Federation, or was the fact that he, himself, had become slower, Grizzly thought about this for an instant.

Jayne could see these ideas zipping through the man's brain, and he noticed a bit of doubt seep into his opponent's expression. Serenity's mercenary smiled to himself (all that time working-out on the weight bench with Shepherd Book was certainly paying off now), if one could get one's opponent to falter in their confidence, then half the battle was won already.

Grizzly had paused for a moment… surely the case was that he had become slower. With the extra weight he had garnished over the years, Garrison felt that the truth of the matter was that he'd become more sluggish in his ability. Time... and old age, well an older age, had caused him to slow down a bit, he wasn't able to do some of the things he was able to do ten years ago, or maybe it was that he could not do them as quickly?

Whatever the case, Garrison felt, that with the added weight (his bulk) could be turned into an advantage. All he need do is pin his opponent to the mat and "game over". He rushed headlong at Jayne again, only this time he launched his attack with a bit more caution and control. Instead of barreling in like a freight-train he moved in close and then dipped down and used a sweeping maneuver, which was an attempt to knock the big mercenary to the ground. This maneuver was called _The Paul Bunyan_ or _Bull whip_ and was designed to take a man right off his feet. Jayne had anticipated this move; he remembered that it was one of Grizzly's favorites'.

Leaping into the air…. Serenity's big mercenary dogged this maneuver. He launched himself over Garrison's head and ended up behind the Captain of the Road Kill. He captured Grizzly in a _Full Nelson_ and pasted his shoulders to the mat. Jayne had Garrison's shoulder pinned to the floor for a count of a full five seconds (regulations stated that in Grappler & Brawler matches the bout was over after a count of three, but who was counting?).

Jayne looked around, Jeremy and Jessica, Marcy, Blake and Kendall all stood their ground, no one moved. Maybe they weren't aware of the Brawler's Regulations, or maybe they'd been told to ignore them, whatever the case…. before Jayne could shout that someone should be counting, Grizzly flipped over and now the big mercenary found himself under the heavy weight of the bear size Grizzly of a man.

For such a big fellow, Jayne was shocked by Grey's capably. Garrison now had him pinned to the carpet. Using his position Jayne brought up his knee and used the _B__attering Ram_ maneuver (a quick delivery to the groin, illegal but still in use anyway) to dislodge his opponent. Grizzly went flying and Jayne sprang up from the mat. He turned to see the big man facing him.

Garrison had his hand on his jewels…..

"Hey, that's unfair!" The Grizzly of a man stated…..

"No different that changing the pin count from three to…..whatever?" Jayne spoke.

Garrison looked at him and grinned….

"This is my house. My house, my count rules...which states that a pin is not legitimate until the count of six," he said.

**************The Scales of War *******************

The match went on for another seven minutes, and I'm here to tell ya that, for anyone who's grappled before, seconds seem like minutes, and minutes seem like hours. The match had only lasted for twelve minutes, but it had seemed, to both men, that it was now entering its second hour.

Jayne was finally able to pin Grizzly in another _Full Nelson…_ to the mat, and, although he had the Road Kill Captain's shoulder's planted to the floor for a full count of fifteen seconds, Jayne would not release the big fellow until Grizzly slapped the mat giving the indication that he was ready to retire.

Grizzly then got up (still holding his neck) and looked over at his advisory. He spoke...

"OK, you win this duel Jayne, but the pebbles are in my pocket. Now that I have the Captain of Serenity onboard my vessel….I DO retain the bargaining chip," he spoke with a smile.

Jayne Cobb…. hands upon his knees, gasping (in) deep volumes of air (evidently the big merc was not in the physical condition he'd first considered himself to be in) then... announced his own revelation.

"Sorry Griz….but I am only a mercenary on Serenity. You allowed the true Captain of that vessel to escape your grasp twenty-four minutes ago."

The cargo hold fell as silent as the sound of death. Garrison "Grizzly" Grey had been duped, and the Captain of the Road Kill wasn't happy about it.

END PART 9


	10. Chapter 10

Road Kill 10

"Two Men"

Author's note: Final to the story arc, thanks for reading, Z

******************** The Red Blinking Light ***********************

Two men…two men stood deep in the underbelly in the cargo hold of a ship out in the dark, dank reaches of space…two men that, at the moment, looked as if they'd been in a war. Perhaps it could be called that, a brawlers' bout. It was often considered a war, a battle, a fight where one opponent faced-off against another to prove who the better man, the better brawler was.

Both Jayne and Garrison had the injuries to prove of their duel, the cuts and scrapes, both were bleeding from near a dozen places. Although Brawling and Grappling matches were an entertainment sport, there was nothing that said participants couldn't become severely injured.

Jayne and Grizzly each, were taking in huge gulps of air. They realized then, that grappling was a sport for much younger individuals, and although they both, still now, enjoyed the sport, it may be better suited for them to watch it from the sidelines.

Blake and Kendal had remained with their Captain down in the cargo hold of the Road Kill, while Marcy had taken the children, Jeremy and Jessica, and returned to the ship's bridge, and Jayne Cobb had just informed his old friend that he had been fooled into releasing the actual Captain of Serenity.

Malcolm Reynolds had returned to his ship along with his first mate Zoe, so the bargaining chip Grizzly had thought that he had, the person remaining upon his vessel, was none other than a mercenary, a hired gun who was in the service of Captain Reynolds (as long as the paychecks kept coming in), so in actuality he had been duped.

"Yeah, you had the _**King Fish**_ in your hands all along…. then you let him go upon my arrival," Jayne was saying.

Garrison was aggravated that he'd been fooled, but how could he respond, hadn't his plan been to double-cross Serenity once he'd gotten hold of Jayne, the person he had assumed was the Firefly's Captain. Turn-about is fair play in the pirate world, wouldn't you say? Just then a message came down from the bridge, it was Marcy….

"_**Garrison, incoming transmission from another vessel, seems that it's from the Captain of Serenity. Posting it down to you now….."**_

In a brief moment a voice came across the loud speaker.

"_**Howdy there Captain Grey….."**_

The broadcast from Malcolm Reynolds came over the intercom loud and clear.

"_**Malcolm Reynolds here, Captain of Serenity, I assume that your grappling match is over, (I wonder who won). Anyhow, you have something of mine aboard your ship, and I want it back….also if I don't get it back there will be consequences**_."

The transmission that reached Grizzly's ears seemed like a threat, a shallow threat, but a threat none the less.

"And what if'n I don't give him back Mr. Reynolds, I mean, what if I have decided to keep Mr. Cobb hostage, hold him until I acquire something else from you in return…."

Grizzly's response was pointed and direct, he continued...

"Jayne and I, we may be old acquaintances, but we are not tied by blood. Seems to me that I may not have you, but I still retain a prisoner upon my vessel. What do you have on your ship that can be bargained with?"

There was a pause…

"_**Are you talkin about Jayne, Jayne Cobb?"**_

Of course he was talking about Jayne Cobb, what else of value did Grizzly have aboard his vessel that belonged to Serenity? The transmission resumed…

"_**You can have him, what I'm referring to is the shuttle still harbored aboard your craft. That piece of property is mine and I'd like it returned ASAP**_."

Serenity's mercenary, Jayne Cobb, was a little stunned by what he heard coming out of Malcolm Reynolds' mouth, but then, so were the rest of the crew aboard the Road Kill. It was at that moment that a blinking red light (on the transmitter which had been slipped into Jayne's pocket earlier), was noticed by all. It had been emptied from Jayne's pocket and stored atop a crate with the rest of Jayne's stuff just before the duel had begun. Serenity's mercenary had been curious about the item, he didn't remember bringing it with him, but had decided to concern himself with in later.

"_**I have no doubt that you all have become aware of a little black box with a small red light in its upper right corner…. that light may be very well blinking at this moment**_."

Sure they'd all become aware of it, but what did it mean?

"_**That my friend is my insurance policy. See that little device is one of two transmitters stored upon your vessel, Mr. Grizzly, and at this very moment you'll find the other attached to three red barrels inside the shuttle still attached to your boat. Need I tell you what is nestled within those three containers? Let me explain... it's loud and it goes **__**BOOM**__** when I press a corresponding button on Serenity, understand? Do you think I'd come aboard a derelict spacecraft out in the middle of nowhere without a back-up plan?**_"

Jayne could see now where Mal was taking this, the Captain of Serenity was bluffing. Those barrels contained nothing that could be detonated like that, unless one wanted to express that a person could become _**Blasted**_ by the whiskey being smuggled inside. Jayne smiled inwardly…Malcolm Reynolds was an expert at playing people; it was one of traits that he excelled at, and one of admiration held by Jayne. The big mercenary wished that he could lie as well. Truth was, most of the time, folks could see right through Jayne's deceptions.

Garrison made a gesture with his head for Blake to check out the truth to Captain Reynolds revelation. The Road Kill crew-member returned to the cargo hold with the affirmation that it WAS true. Grizzly looked at the man standing beside him.

"So, your own Captain would blow you to pieces if I don't agree to his terms?"

Jayne looked at the man….

"It's a gamble….but is it a gamble that you are willing to risk your children's lives over?"

If there was one thing in the universe that Garrison valued above all others, it was his family, and he was NOT ready to take chances with their lives. Still, he wasn't quiet through with Malcolm Reynolds.

"So, you'd be willing to blow-up a crewmember of your boat, rather than exchange a bit of property stored within your cargo hold sir?"

There was a pause before the Captain of Serenity answered….

"_**Blow-up may be a bit of a harsh phrase for me, I prefer the term sacrifice. It may be unknown to you Mr. Grey, but I am a veteran of the Independence battle for Serenity Valley. I had to sacrifice many a trooper at that time, what is one more? Jayne Cobb was well aware of the risk he was taking when he joined my crew, they all are. The only comfort I can allot him is that he understands that his family will be well compensated once your ship has been reduced to bitty shards**_."

Just then another voice chimed in across the intercom….

"_**Garrison, you release that man at once!…..Release him now, or I swear once we get back to a civilized moon I'll divorce you and take your children and everything you've got**_."

That second threat was from none other than his wife, Marcy, and she did not seem the least ready to post duel with the Captain of Serenity.

"Yes dear," came the response from the Grizzly of a man.

******************** Road to Serenity ***********************

Jayne Cobb felt comfortable at the controls of shuttle 2. He had been released and was heading back to Serenity with the three red barrels of contraband for Badger. Malcolm Reynolds had had a good plan. Serenity may not have gained any profit from the Road Kill, but still, they were leaving with their lives. Suddenly he felt a hand touch his shoulder….

Jayne Cobb turned, and with the movement of a panther, pulled his weapon from his holster. There standing behind him, hands raised high in the air, stood Malcolm Reynolds.

"Mal...?"

"You can stow that gun away big guy," the Captain spoke.

"But I thought you were on Ser…?"

"Serenity…..do you think I'd abandon one of my crew-members like that? Zoe took Inara's shuttle back to the ship. I remained behind to make sure you didn't get yourself trapped. It's like I've been telling you Jayne, if someone does something to a crew-member of mine, they do it to ME."

Once the two were back aboard Serenity, Wash resumed their progress towards Persephone and the rest of the crew joined in the galley for a quick meal. Mal looked across the table at the big mercenary…

"So Jayne, in your brawling days I noticed that all the showmen, Brawlers and Grapples alike, had a gimmick, a title they used to help promote their popularity, Garrison Grizzly Grey, Stitch the Henchman Hessian, Miller the Mountain Manson, what was your gimmick?"

The full table turned to the big man to hear his response. Jayne sat there with his bowl of protein before him.

"Well I really didn't have a gim…."

"I'll tell you what is was…." Came from the door, Wash had entered the galley from the bridge, and pulled a playbill from his pocket the size of a sheet of paper.

"Did a little investigating over the cortex, and came across this," he held the advertisement up for all of those at the table to see. It presented a colorful poster, two men standing opposite one another in an aggressive stance. The person to the right was none other than Grizzly Garrison, dressed in grappling trunks that looked to be made of bear fur. To the left stood another man, shirtless and sporting camo pants and heavy boots, Jayne Cobb. The advertisement read….

**Tonight Only, Mudders Arena, ****Grizzly**** Garrison Grey vs Jayne ****Cannonball**** Cobb, in a bout not soon forgotten**!"

Giggles erupted from the table, and the big man turned red as a strawberry.

"I'll be in my bunk," Jayne said as he stood to exit the galley, taking his bowl of grub with him. After about three steps he was turned back by Zoe.

"Hey Cannonball, do those playbills come in a T-shirt?"

There was no holding back the flood of laughter that erupted in Serenity's galley at that point.

THE END


End file.
